Objectives

Eumelia Organic Agrotourism Farm & Guesthouse (Homeodynamic Development S.A.), which focuses on pilot educational activities, has developed an innovative methodology for the training of trainers (ToT) in sustainable development. In particular, the beneficiaries of Eumelia courses are taught how to help trainees generate and format their ideas with a view to accessing sources of finance and the implementation of designed projects. Training activities take place:

a)in real conditions, i.e. in the natural environment of a pilot sustainable farm and through the simulation of a competition between teams of participants;

b)in a relaxed setting conducive to maximizing the performance of beneficiaries, through a carefully designed blend of educational and recreational activities.

The objectives of the courses are to improve and extend the teaching techniques of teachers and trainers of sustainable development for all types of institutions providing formal and non formal education. Through this course teachers and trainers will develop their ability to apply a methodology that will help their trainees:

Generate innovative ideas aiming at the promotion of sustainable development;

Format these ideas in the framework of specific interventions based on the Project Cycle Management (PCM) logic;

Draft applications for funding meeting all the requirements posed by the European Commission and other international donors;

Evaluate their projects through the simulation of a competition between proposals on the basis of specific indicators as to Relevance & Design, Efficiency, Effectiveness, Impact and Sustainability.

After the course, teachers and trainers will have:

a toolkit of user-friendly training resources that will be easy to adapt to specific audiences and their needs;

a bibliography for each session, including relevant website addresses

a network of contacts which will facilitate the exchange of training modules and innovative techniques.

The impact of training provided can be assessed on two levels:

In the short run, through the number of projects designed and the experience acquired by trainees;

In a mid- to long-term perspective, through the success rate of applications for funding submitted.

Preparation

Participants should pre-register for the course by contacting Eumelia Organic Agrotourism Farm & Guesthouse (Homeodynamic Development S.A) at education@eumelia.com. The organization will send the participant confirmation of their pre-registration and a pre-course questionnaire.

The pre-course questionnaire will cover the following items:

Present training position

Age of trainees and their reasons for learning

Previous relevant experience

English language level

Educational needs

The aim of this questionnaire is to help us organize the course in order best to meet their needs both in terms of the methodological input sessions and the language development lessons. The questionnaire will give participants the opportunity to highlight their expectations, targets and experience and enhance the exchange of ideas and mutual learning processes.

When the participant confirms their attendance on the course they will receive an Info Kit containing:

The course outline

Suggested reading material

A local map and details of their accommodation

Inclusive and optional social activity programmes

Methodology

The Eumelia ToT methodology is anchored on the following key principle:

A trainee-centered curriculum tailored on the basis of a survey of training needs beforehand.

A participatory approach, i.e. an interactive trainer-trainee relationship, so that the beneficiaries develop a strong sense of ownership through the examination/adoption of their ideas.

Team-work for the design of projects and the preparation of applications.

The design of realistic projects based on conditions examined on the ground in the framework of the Eumelia ToT courses.

Simulation of an evaluation of competing applications for funding, so that beneficiaries become familiar with the “other side of the coin” as well, i.e. through the eyes of project evaluators.

Clearly defined goals, in the sense that the training course aims at the development of specific and measurable deliverables, e.g. the outlines of development projects and applications for funding, proposal-writing skills, etc.

A thorough evaluation of the training course by all the participants, so that their feedback helps us capture possible weaknesses and retain what they have found useful.

Not least of all, a relaxed natural setting that helps optimize team-work and maximize the performance of the beneficiaries.

Follow-Up

Follow-up of the course will be achieved:

By sharing a contact list of all the participants and trainers information.

Through self-evaluation of lessons taught after the training event

Through peer networking with the preparation of future mobility educational projects.

Eumelia is ready to develop a database tracking the performance of: (i) participants in the ToT courses and (ii) youth organisations benefiting from follow-up training.

Team building activities through the understanding of intercultural differences and horizon opening games.

Session 1: Introduction - goals and structure of the seminar

Welcome dinner by including all the participants with organic and local products.

Day 3, Monday

Session 2: Learning how to work with nature and minimizing impact during the design period of sustainable development projects

Session 3: Introduction - Sustainable rural and agrotourism development: Our ability to create economic growth through the creation of responsible and ethical sustainable development projects in less populated-remote areas while respecting the environment.

Session 4: Presentation of Eumelia as an example of a sustainable rural and agrotourism development project, one of only 21 eco -lodges and farms worldwide to be included in the ECOCLUB community respecting, through self compliance, environmental guidelines.

Session 5: How to design a project: Survey of the area where the project will be introduced, including needs of the community, financial sustainability, ethical impact, environmental protection and cultural enhancement.

Self sustainable activity of the day: Making natural and organic soap with local products (olive oil and herbs)

Day 4, Tuesday

Experiential and educational visit to the small inhabited island of Elafonisos and learning about its sustainable development efforts.

Session 6: Sustainable island tourism development: We evaluate Island regional policy, an important directive of the EU infused by issues such as adaptation of coastal areas in climate change, population increase during the summer months, population aging and brain drain of younger generation.

Presentation of Elafonisos, meeting with local authorities and exchanging ideas on the sustainable development of this special island.

Proposal-writing (1): Breaking down into four working groups that will work for the creation of two mainland and two island sustainable development proposals, based on the experience of the past few days on Eumelia and Elafonisos Island.

Day 6, Thursday

Session 9: Instructions on evaluation procedures: How to objectively evaluate the sustainability of your own and others projects, evaluation criteria for European programmes, identification of annual benchmarks and priorities of the funding institution.

Session 10: Presentation and analysis of best practices and successful stories in key sustainable development areas.

Proposal-writing (2): Tutoring from panel experts to the working groups, working with each one of the teams and helping them pinpoint specific sectors of improvement.

Day 7, Friday

Proposal-writing (3): finalize the proposal and creation of presentation tools.

Simulation of fund raising: The four working groups present and promote their projects to a committee that evaluates the projects out loud, according to the criteria and guidelines taught throughout the seminar.

Session 11: Q&A, open discussion and positive brainstorming on proposals improvement and future networks and cooperation.

Session 12: Seminar evaluation session – feedback and recommendations

Community cooked farewell dinner with local and organic products.

Day 8, Saturday

Departure from Eumelia for Athens

Departure from Athens

Application Procedure

The participants must apply to their national agency for funding and approval for participation, the In-Service Training is funded by the European Union program Grundtvig and all participants must be accepted by their national agencies, please find in the following link your National Agency and apply through them. For more information on the Grundtvig In-Service Training please visit the following link Grundtvig IST.

For pre-registration fill in the form below in the files section of this page and send it to education@eumelia.com